Been searching and reading through the archives and haven't found this specific topic. I have read info here and there embedded in other posts. Looking for tips on best practices for wrapping the last few, very small guides. My hands are large and it is a PITA sometimes wrapping the last two because only one side of the blank can be supported and it bends down from the tension on my thread. Any help would be great.
Chris "Tank" Bohr
Tanks Tackle
Bradenton, FL & Beloit, WI

Tank,
I had to look up PITA because my teenage daughter wasn't around to tell me what that acronym is. You just need a support at the tip and one back to where the 2nd guide from the tip is. Just put the support as close to that 2nd guide as you can and still be able to wrap it. I also have large hands and sausage fingers. When you get to the tip wrap do the same thing with it, moving the support as close as you can and hanging the tip off it. Be patient because if it is narrow thin tip section it is harder to wrap and finish. You want your support in a small span so it will hold that part of the blank ridged. Hopefully you have a set up that will allow you to do it. You can also improvise. Good luck.
Lance

Thanks Lance. I built my own jig and 4 supports. I've just been patient and dealing with what I have. I'll probably end up making a mini support that can stand on top of my jig base. I just finished up 4 identical rods that I built at the same time. That way I could adjust my supports and jig just once for all of them depending on which guide and position of blank. Wrap 4 stripper guides, adjust for the next guide then wrap 4 more. Adjust. You get the idea. Now to figure out an easier way to hold and tie micro guides...

Tank

As for holding the guides on to the blank Mudhole sells micro rubberbands. I use two or three to hold the guide to the blank. Once I got the thread started on the guide foot I just cut the bands as the thread gets to them.

I don't know what your using for a support. But If you don't have it already get some clamping pressure from the top. I use a commercial wrapper, the blank is cradled in two rubber rollers on the bottom with another rubber roller on top. This keeps the blanks from moving as much from the thread tension. I get a support as close as I can fore and aft of the guide I am working on. I bring the rollers together as tight as I can and still roll the blank. If your just using a v type rest it don't take much thread tension on the tip sections to flex the blank and get things moving around. Even on the last guide or two with just one side supported the pressure from the top roller makes a huge difference in keep the blank form moving around. Still a PITA but things are controllable and you can develop a technique that works for you.

Thanks Mike. FYI...Mudhole is out of stock of those rubber bands, at least as of last week.

Tank

With tips that flimsey, you aren't making ice fishing rods are you? Micros may not be the best for ice rods.

Agree with Lance.

I find a TINY dab of the adhesive on the foot of the guide the best way to hold them for wrapping. It will still allow realignment later.

For securing the guide to the blank while being wrapped, I take a length of 6# monofilament and tie a regular clinch knot loosely around my finger. Tighten the knot itself up but still with a loop, then cinch it down on the guide to the blank. It actually works quite well. I’ve never used the bands, but I have miles of monofilament in my house and it works.

As for supporting the blank, I don’t have any better suggestion than has been given.

Bravo Scott. Sometimes the simplest of things can cause me the most havoc!!!!!!

Building spinning rods. Thank all for the help!

Tank

There is a tip support system out there for retain wrappers.
[www.northeastrodbuilders.com]
Norm

All you need to hold the guides in place is dental ligatures. I have them in 1/16 1/8 and 3/16 in for use all the way down the rod. They are cheap and available on Amazon

Sewing supply stores sell elastic thread. Take 2-3 turns of elastic thread around the guide-foot/rod blank and tie a square knot in it. You can adjust the exact alignment of your guide while the elastic thread keeps it under tension. When your thread wraps have progressed half-way up the guide foot just touch the elastic thread with a razor blade. It will pop off the blank, leaving not a trace, and you can complete your guide wrap.

I use the same as Tom,
The small bands for dental work work fine for holding the guides in place when wrapping.

Then, I ground down a nipper to have a thin very sharp nipper to cut the bands, after the wrap has been started.

Then, I use a tip holding jig that I made for 20 cents to hold the tip in place. This is particularly applicable for any sort of very thin tip section.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

The jig was made from a nylon cutting board for a base, and a couple of sections of solid fiberglass ice rod blank sections. I used a dremal tool with an abrasive cut off wheel to cut slots into the ends of the solid stock.

Then, I drilled a series of holes in the base at equal 1/2 inch intervals to space the blank supports at what ever spacing that is needed.

If you have an issue with the blank being pulled up and out of the slot when wrapping, just make the height of the support taller and the notch deeper. Then, when you need top down lock, just use an appropriate sized elastic band to slip onto the top of the support.
Or you could use an old time spring loaded clothes pin to hold the blank down into the slot.

I milled a slot in the base to use as a hold down onto the bed of my power wrapper. I just use a carriage bolt from the bed of the wrapper through the base with a washer and nut on top of the base to hold the base secure.

This jig is a great help in supporting those blanks that have a very soft and small sized blank.

Take care

I take a larger dowel and drill a hole in it the size of the tip of the rod I'm trying to wrap.Support the dowel on one of your supports and slide the tip in the dowel to hold the rod in place. This works good for the last few guides,but for a tip top guide you just have to support it as close to the end as you can. There are supports out there just Google tip supports.
Pat Retlich

As far as holding the guides, I use tape. Have tried rubber bands and the sewing elastic. I will take tape and cut it with a razor or scissors to get the right thickness where enough of the foot is sticking out to wrap. I will wrap up to the tape then remove it and the thread will hold it from there. You can still adjust the guides to get them lined up straight after you get it wrapped before you put epoxy on. Just be gentle and always leave a mark in case it comes unwrapped. You will find a technique that works best for you and is repeatable.

Thank you to everyone. You have given me several ideas and my brain is diligently creating a solution. I

I use self adherent cohesive medical wrap. 1" wide roll. Cut thin strips about 1/8" off the roll. It's stretchy and sticks to itself, peels off easy with no residue and you can reuse the strips 3-4 times. A 5 foot roll has lasted me a long long time.

David Graham Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I use self adherent cohesive medical wrap. 1" wide
> roll. Cut thin strips about 1/8" off the roll.
> It's stretchy and sticks to itself, peels off easy
> with no residue and you can reuse the strips 3-4
> times. A 5 foot roll has lasted me a long long
> time.

Thanks David I am going to give it a try. Never thought about medical wrap but it sounds like I can use less tape to hold the guide.

I'm a big guy with big hands that also struggles on the last few guides. I actually avoid micro guides and single foot guides just for this reason... also because they're not as sturdy and I have a bad habit of bending guides when they're laying out on the front deck of my boat.

However, I've had good success putting my thread in a bobbin and tying the last guide and wrapping over my tip top just like I was putting thread on the shaft of a hook. I got my tackle crafting start tying trout flies, bass jigs/spinnerbaits and crappie jigs. The skills are transferable. Set up your rod in the proper support, give yourself some room to work with the hand of your choice, and go to town. I find that when working on the last few inches of a rod it's easier for me to hold the rod still and wrap the thread, rather than leave the thread stationary and spin the blank.

Lots of ways to skin a cat.

I used magic thread. A quick wrap in approximation to where you want it, easy to get lined up. Then you wrap up to where the magic thread starts, cut that off and finish up. Or hit up your local orthodontist and buy the bands from them.....same things that Mudhole sells.